YouTube close to saturation in the UK

YouTube viewing is close to saturation in the UK with 90 per cent of digital video viewers regularly visiting the platform, according to a new report.

eMarketer’s Worldwide YouTube and Digital Video report predicts 40.4 million people, or six out of ten people in the UK, will watch video via the YouTube app or website at least once a month.

The report also suggests more than two-thirds of the UK’s population will watch some form of digital video in 2018.

However, YouTube is facing competition from subscription streaming services as well as Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat, who have all been investing heavily in video over the past few years.

“UK adults have been migrating their social media and video habits over to mobile for some time,” eMarketer senior analyst Bill Fisher said. “It’s no surprise, then, that the social media platforms have been making major plays in the video space.

"YouTube viewership isn’t going to drop away, of course—it’s too well-established. But it’s going to have to compete for video-viewing time from a multitude of other options like never before.”